Parting Message

Follow this link for the full text, but here it is in sum:

Great opportunity for Libertarians in Hamilton County! To continue momentum, run candidates for Mayor in Carmel, Noblesville, and Westfield.

Time to push the envelope. I ran a moderate show, but the sands have shifted, and people are ready to hear a more radical message of smaller & less intrusive government. See: budgets & debt; TSA; War on Drugs; Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.

I wish the next Chair great luck and tremendous success!

Cutler's Worse Than...???

Ok, so I pretty much thought Jay Cutler was a wuss with the knee injury in the NFC Championship Game, but this is waaaay out of line.

ESPN has a poll running: Which of these is the least likeable person?

• Jay Cutler
• Ben Roethlisberger
• Michael Vick

My ranking? Vick, Roethlisberger, Cutler, although that would change if Roethlisberger was ever convicted of his alleged sexual assaults. Vick was convicted, so top of the list of least likeables. Makes sense?

Nah. Current polling on ESPN goes:

• Jay Cutler 44%
• Ben Roethlisberger 35%
• Michael Vick 21%

I just don't understand that. I guess the immediate aftermath of game results really clouds rational thinking.

Kole Stepping Down As Chair

The time has come for me to step down as County Chair. Family, work, and continued education concerns make it so.

I take stock in the gains that our organization has made in the past two years:

• Libertarian candidates for offices in our county were on the ballot again in 2010 for the first time since 2006.
• Our base more than doubled! I have previously crunched the numbers via this link.
  
• We have a full roster of officers in the organization.
• Our monthly Meet-Ups are well attended.

It is crucially important that somebody steps up to replace me as Chair. In the seven years I have been involved with the Libertarian Party here in Hamilton County, our organization has been characterized by members who will vote for our candidates, attend our events, financially support the organization, but shy away from being involved in leadership, and for the actions that are the reason for this organization to exist: running for office, and campaigning door-to-door.

We have very capable people in our membership. Libertarians are almost universally self-sufficient and achievers. Please consider bringing your talent to the Libertarian Party of Hamilton County, as a leader and/or as a candidate.

We have a clear momentum we can build upon! People are talking about libertarian policy and philosophy like never before. Hamilton County voters are at last beginning to shift from the old parties towards us. It would be a tremendous shame if the chapter were to fold for lack of participation at the leadership level.

At minimum, the Chair spends about 5 hours/week. This is what is needed to recruit candidates; answer questions from media and the public; watch issues affecting us here. Ambitious Chairs of course spend more time than that.

So, we will host a County Convention for the purpose of electing a new County Chair. Here are the details:

When: Thursday, January 27, 2011; 7-8pm

Where: Claude & Annie’s, 9251 E. 141^st St, Fishers IN 46038

Who Can Vote: Those with current membership in either the national or Indiana Libertarian Party. Membership can be made current at the meeting prior to votes taking place.

I'll look forward to seeing you at Claude & Annie's on Thursday!

Sincerely Yours-
-Mike Kole
Chair, Libertarian Party of Hamilton County

Good Time To Leave Town

I have this weird feeling of deja vu. Yet again, the country will endure two weeks of Super Bowl hype, and yet again I don't care. The Steelers & Packers? Yawn. I can't stand the Steelers and their horrible fans, but I don't care to root against teams. It isn't nearly as satisfying as rooting for a team and watching them win.

No matter, I'll be in the Costa Rican rainforest, and chances are good that I wouldn't be able to see the Super Bowl even if I wanted to. But the teams in the Super Bowl remind me why the NHL playoffs are so superior: There is no doubt after a 7-game series that the better team advanced. Counter and say that football is too physical for multi-game series. Ok, I counter by saying, ever watch hockey?





Jay Cutler? Meet Eric Belanger or Duncan Keith- a guy who plays in Chicago after all.

Three of the best teams in the NFL are sitting at home- New England, New Orleans, and Atlanta. If the Patriots played the Jets 10 times, in my estimation, they would win 8 of those. And, New Orleans-Seattle? Fluke of the last half-century. So, I was bored with the conference championship games, as the Steelers seemed to be the only ones really worthy of being there, and I hate the Steelers.

So, the trip to Costa Rica is well timed, so as to avoid the monotony of the hype and the game. We'll improve our Espanol, take in the wildlife, and generally have a great time.